Stoke City up the ante in Butland battle while players work hard to be fighting fit

Best foot forward... Benik Afobe leads the way in training in Holland (Image: Stoke City FC)

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“We would like to get back there as soon as possible so we could give him that platform, but if there is any suitor for Jack Butland, then they have to pay the value. This is not a club that is desperate to sell or needs to sell."

It is all part of a process overseen by Nathan Jones’s trusted head of sports science, Jared Roberts-Smith – trusted to the extent that they were room-mates during last week’s training camp in Holland.

The pair had worked together at Charlton Athletic and Luton Town, and knew exactly what they wanted to implement once they arrived in the Potteries. That has meant building a close relationship with players, who were able to liaise with Roberts-Smith over the close season for advice on everything from nutrition and hydration to sleep and gym work.

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